Improvement in riveting joints of sheet metal



P. BALL.

Biveting Joints of Sheet-Metal.

Patented September 23,1873.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

PHINEHAS BALL, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVEMENT l N RIVETING JOINTS OF SHEET METAL.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 142,979, datedSeptember 23, 1873 application filed July 29, 1 873.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PHINEHAS BALL, of Worcester, in the county ofWorcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improved Methodof Riveting Sheet-Metal Tubes, Pipes, &c., of which the following is aspecification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, inwhich Figure 1 represents an end view of a section of a sheet-metal pipehaving my improvements applied thereto, and Fig. 2 a plan of the same.

My invention relates to a new and improved mode of riveting together theedges of thin sheets of metal, and more especially of thin sheet-metaltubes, so as to make them steam and watertight; and its nature consistsin interposing on each side of the joint (where the sheets are joinedtogether or lapped over each other) a narrow rib of metal, between thesheets and the heads of the rivets that secure them together, said ribsbeing provided with holes through which the rivets pass. Or, instead ofusing ribs of metal for this purpose, two small washers or sections ofsheet metal may be used for each rivet, and which may be made ,of anyrequired size or shape. Or the rivets may be made with one wide andthick head, in which case but one rib of metal for each joint would berequired, or one washer for each rivet; but such is not deemed so good aplan, being more costly than the others.

To enable others skilled in the art to make, construct, and use myimprovement, I will now proceedlto describe it in detail, it being hereexemplified in connection with the manufacture of sheet-metal tubes.

The sheet metal of which the tubes are to be formed may be made of anysuitable metal or mixtures of metal: but I prefer iron, as being bothcheap and strong, and which, if thought advisable, may first begalvanized or tinned, or' subsequently coated with cement. Sheets ofmetal of the required thickness are cut into strips of the necessarywidth to form, when riveted, the size of tube or pipe wanted. The edgesof each of these strips are provided with rivetholes, punched in theusual manner, at regular intervals apart. Each strip is 1 then bentaround so as to lap and form a section, A, of the required tube; thisdone, two ribs, a and b, of thin sheet metal are then placed along thejoint made by the lapping of the edges, the one being arranged above andthe other under the joint. The rivets c are now passed through therivet-holes in the ribs a and b, and those punched in the lapping edgesof the tubular strip A, and securely riveted thereto. For this purpose,holes are punched through the ribs to and b at points equidistant apartwith the rivet-holes punched in the edges of the tubular strip A, and soas to coincide with them. By thFs means, a very close and strong jointis made, which is both steam and water tight. In this way each sectionof the pipe or tube is made; each, however, being made .a little largerat one end than the other, so that in putting the sections together thesmall end of the one will pass into the large end of the other in orderto form a lap, by means of which they may, in precisely the same way, beriveted togetherthat is to say, with two interposing ribs of metalrunning around the joint, the one on the inside and the other on theoutside, and pierced with rivet-holes, which coincide with therivet-holes punched in the end of each section, and which are also sopunched as to coincide with each other, so that the rivets may passthrough all three, and form, when riveted, as in the other,-a strong andsteam or water tight joint.

It is here, however, to be observed that in riveting the longitudinaljoints of the pipes the rivet at the ends of each section A is notfastened when the section is made, but is put in and fastenedsubsequently when the sections are put together, and is made to passthrough both connecting-sections, forming one of the series of thesectional as well as of the longitudinal joint rivets.

Instead of using continuous ribs or and I), like those shown in Fig. 2,they may be made in sections, like washers, such as those shown in thecircular lap of the same figure, there be ing, in that case, a washer,d, for each rivet head on both sides of the tube, as shown in Fig. 1;or, instead of using washers d or ribs 11 on the inside of the tube,each rivet may be made with a large or wide and thick head to take theirplace, and which may be either flat or suitably shaped-on its inner faceto conform to the inner surface of the tube. These washers d may be madeof any suitable shape, size, and thickness required to suit the kind andsize of pipe or tube being made; and so with the ribs, as they may bemade of any suitable size, thickness, and form or shape without a1-tering in any degree the principle of my invention.

As a rule, in making these tubes I prefer to make the longitudinaljoints with ribs or and b interposed, and the sectional or circularjoints with washers d, as shown in Fig. 2, as each, in certain respects,are, perhaps, better adapted for their respective joints, as indicated;yet I do not mean to confine myself to such a plan, as each kind mayeither be used singly or in connection with each other, as may be deemedbest.

The addition of the metal of the ribs or washers to the joints permitsthe latter to be staked,he aded,or drawn down in the same manner as isdone in the joints of sheet metal of thicker dimensions, as in boilerand flue making.

My improvement is susceptible of being ap plied to many useful purposesin the arts, and to many articles manufactured of thin sheet metal; butit is particularly useful in the manufacture of sheet-metal tubes orpipes, such as those used in the construction of what is known aswrought-iron cement-lined waterpipes. These pipes, as heretofore made,have not been made water-tight in the joints by the present mode ofriveting them together, dependence usually being had upon the cementlining to remedy all the defects of the riveting, as well as the springand curling of the sheets in their manufacture, by which open joints areleft in the seamsthe result of which is that just enough water oozesthrough the joints to damage the pipe, butnot enough for the time beingto occasion such a leak as would be discovered above ground, and hencepipe to test it in a hydraulic press before lay ing it down, as is donewith cast-iron pipes. It also greatly improves the strength of thejoint, for the .compression of the riveted ribs or washers on the thinsheets of metal of which the pipe is made exerts such a hold upon themas to make the joints the strongest portions of the pipe or vessel soconstructed; Whereas, by the ordinary mode of riveting only aboutonehalf of the strength of the iron is retained at the joints.

Pipes or tubes so made, when intended to be used in wet or damp places,may be covered on the outside and lined on the inside with hydrauliccement in the usual manner, after which they are then ready for usewherever required. This coating prevents them from becoming oxidized orrusted, and will preserve them for a great length of time in perfectcondition.

Havin g-described my invention, what I claim as new 1s-- The mode hereindescribed of forming a steam or water tight joint between theoverlapping edges of thin sheets of metal, as appliedto the manufactureof water pipes, tubes, or other articles of manufacture-that is to say,by riveting ribs or washers over the laps or jointsin the mannersubstantially as shown and described.

. PHINEHAS BALL.

Witnesses:

P. HANNAY, D. G. STUART.

